Last weekend marked a significant event in the martial arts world, but it wasn’t the fights in the ring that captured the most attention. On Friday night, Jake Paul began the boxing weekend by facing former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, taking on one of the toughest challenges of his career. Despite stepping up his game, Paul suffered his second career loss in the sixth round after being knocked down by a right hand and sustaining a broken jaw.
However, the real buzz came from a backstage altercation involving former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski and internet personality Jack Doherty. Doherty, known for his provocative online antics and pranks, was exiting the arena with his group when he bumped shoulders with Arlovski. Unlike previous occasions where his pranks went unchecked due to security presence, this time the situation escalated quickly when one of Doherty’s entourage unexpectedly threw a punch, sparking a chaotic brawl.
Doherty insists the attack was unprovoked, stating in an X post that Arlovski tried to kick him without cause as he was simply walking by. Despite his defense, Doherty expects to be seen as the antagonist in the incident. Meanwhile, Arlovski has not publicly commented but shared the fight video on his social media. The 46-year-old former UFC champ is set to return to BKFC on February 7th, where he will face UFC legend Ben Rothwell at Knucklemania 6.
Fan Take: This moment highlights how tensions outside the ring can sometimes overshadow the action inside it, adding a raw and unpredictable layer to combat sports. For fight fans, incidents like these remind us that martial arts isn’t just about skill and technique inside the cage or ring, but also about the personalities and drama that keep the sport compelling.
